My birthday

I turned 47 on 12/22.

47 seems like such a large number but I feel so very young. 

Chatting with my husband we were just musing about where we are currently in life:

• We are happy with our children - we have one getting ready to leave the nest as I write this.
• Our marriage is sound but we are always willing to try to improve as there is always room for improvement. 
• We live on the west coast and like it. 
• Our lives aren't well planned but God is in control and we both trust deeply. 
• We are similar yet very different. 
• Maintaining connections with extended family is important though not always easy. 
• I love my husband and four children; my life is inexplicably richer because of them. 
• I really don't need gifts but I don't mind receiving them. 
• My circle of friends has grown and is much more diverse. 

I am happy! I'm grateful for another year to be alive.

Overwhelmed at Christmas

Twas the week before Christmas

And all through the house

Every creature was stirring

Including the mouse (eek!!!)

No stockings were hung by the chimney with care

For Ms. Betty was on her way over there.

The children were nestled, but not in there beds

Begging and shouting,"more, more, more!"

That's an incomplete parody of the The Night Before Christmas.  The poem goes on until St. Nick appears. I remember reading this as a child and always becoming nostalgic for Christmas.

But Christmas isn't so peaceful anymore -
      We have parties to attend and parties to plan.
            Gifts to buy and gifts to wrap.
                   Desserts to be made for our various Christmas parties.
                          And of course, we have to have the right outfits for all of these events.

Before you know it, we're all caught up with the excitement of the seasons while forgetting what caused the initial excitement in the first place. Jesus came - that is the reason we have Christmas. Don't be a scrooge, but please take a moment to be mindful of that first Christmas. Take time at the beginning of each day, to give thanks. Jesus was the first gift, which allowed us to have many more. I hope you're not feeling out of sorts this Christmas. If you are, take a moment and remember the reason we celebrate.

For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

What are you doing to stay calm at Christmas?

Soil Analysis

As a family, we've been reading the book of Mark.  Our pastor is doing a series on this book and suggested we find another person to read the book with - so we decided to read it as a family. Reading the Bible in this way, is quite interesting as it allows you to see what each person thinks, particularly your children. It also provides a foundation for rich discussion.

On this particular night we read Mark 4 which begins with the Parable of the Sower. This parable is also found in Matthew and Luke.

Source

During our discussion, we each reflected on what kind of soil we were.

1. The hard-packed soil - this soil was found on the wayside and it was very hard. Seed fell but the ground could not receive it; birds ate the seed. This soil represents someone who chooses not to be converted or someone who is not converted. This person hears, but does not understand and does not ask questions to aid in understanding.
2. Stony soil - the stony soil was interspersed with the rocks. The seed that fell on to this soil grew but it couldn't thrive because it did not have sufficient roots. The stony ground prevented the seed from having a solid foundation. This soil represents a new believer who does nothing to cement his faith. This person hears the Word and receives it with joy, but since they have no root this joy lasts only a short time. Joy is not enough to live the Christian life.
3. Thorny soil - this soil was thorny but seed was able to thrive for awhile until it was overcome by the thorns. This soil represents seasoned Christians who become caught up with the cares of this world.
4. Good soil - this soil was ideal; it was a perfect environment for the seed to grow and bear varying degrees of fruit.

As someone who loves to garden, I know that you have to work to change the type of soil you may be dealing with. You may have to turn it, treat it, or remove rocks from it to get it to an ideal place. This is the same thing we have to do with our lives - it takes effort and work to produce fruit.

There have been times in my life where I have been all four types of soil. I remember when I first made the decision to become a Christian at the age of 8, and to this day I remember the initial joy I felt. I was stony soil. I remember having a season of doubt up until I was in my late teens; here I was also stony and thorny. Later, I remember being so in tune with the Lord I could feel his presence and was obedient to his commands via the Bible. Then, I was good soil. At a point in time, and sometimes even now, I became concerned with the cares of this world. When I worked full time, I was very concerned about raises and promotions and did not trust God with the outcome - at this point I was thorny soil. Prior to making a decision to serve the Lord, I was hard-packed soil.

Be encouraged, that if you are not good soil you can become good soil. Seek and ye shall find.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Matthew 7:7,8

What kind of soil are you?

Waste Not Want Not

The theme of a recent episode of Chopped was "Wasted". The premise of Chopped is to make great meals from random ingredients that are placed in a basket, that don't necessarily go together, within a short time frame. Contestants are required to make an appetizer, entree and dessert and do not know the basket contents until it is time to make the meal. The winner receives a check for $10,000.00. On this particular show, the basket contained items that are typically tossed.
Ingredients included:

• Fish carcass
• Overripe tomatoes
• Wilted carrots
• Potatoes with eyes
• Ends of Bread
• Orange halves already squeezed
• Used coffee grounds
• Hardened brown sugar

This show was a revelation to me as most of the above items would not be tossed by me. Now none of these foods strike me as waste; as a matter of fact I've used and probably still use some of these items when I cook, and everyone is still standing!

This show highlighted the old adage that one man's garbage is another mans treasure. My ancestors had nothing or were given the scraps and created amazing meals to survive on, which we now call Soul Food. Where I'm from, nothing goes to waste. My mom made sure to use everything that was edible in all of our meals. I watched her get the last bit of ketchup from a bottle by pouring hot water in the container, shaking it up and then pouring it out. In terms of food nothing went to waste and that mentality carried over in to other areas of our lives.

Willful waste makes woeful want.
In this joyous season, waste is the thing that undergirds many of our acquisitions. I'm all for shopping and getting a bargain but not at the expense of incurring debt. One can infer from the many statistics that are based on America's national debt that we need to be careful how we spend. I came across this bit of information as I was writing this post:

As of December 2, 2013, the official debt of the United States government is $17.2 trillion ($17,235,032,379,906).[1] This amounts to:
• $54,372 for every person living in the U.S.[2]
• $140,741 for every household in the U.S.[3]
• 102% of the U.S. gross domestic product.[4]
• 542% of annual federal revenues.[5]

 On a large scale, don't waste your money buying stuff you don't need even if it is on sale. Guess what, you still won't need it. Live within your means. Be creative with what you have. When it comes to food, before you toss, ask yourself, "Can something else be done with this?"
I've been guilty of wasting food and other essentials; I'm challenging myself to go back to the basics.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23
Do you re-purpose in general or only with food? Are you creative with food? Have you scaled back this holiday season?